Red Velvet’s Seulgi Issues Apology After Shoe Swap with Manager Sparks Controversy
4 min read
On July 12th, Red Velvet’s Seulgi found herself at the center of an unexpected controversy following a shoe swap incident at Incheon International Airport. The group was en route to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, to perform at the ‘K-MEGA CONCERT IN KAOHSIUNG,’ and Seulgi initially turned heads with her chic black outfit paired with gray heels. However, upon their arrival in Taiwan, fans noticed that Seulgi had swapped her heels for sneakers, which ignited a debate online.
Keen-eyed fans observed that Seulgi had traded shoes with her female manager, who was later seen exiting the Taiwan airport in Seulgi’s heels. This revelation quickly became a hot topic on online communities, with netizens expressing mixed feelings about the shoe swap, especially in the context of recent discussions about the dynamics between celebrities and their staff.
The manager is wearing #seulgi's shoes 🥹😘🐻 pic.twitter.com/atjdw1b5kF
— i love seulgi cosmic in eyes😘🐻👰♀️🇰🇷 (@myseulgi0210) July 12, 2024
Some netizens felt that the manager was unfairly burdened by the swap:
“It does seem a little like the manager is getting the short end of the stick.”
“If a celebrity complains that her shoes are hurting her feet, can a manager or staff member refuse to switch shoes with them?”
“If she wanted to switch to more comfortable shoes later on, she should have packed her own shoes… Why does the manager have to give up her shoes?”
Others offered a more sympathetic view, suggesting that the situation might not be as severe as it appeared:
“No one knows the full story so it’s hard to say for certain that the staff was ‘forced’ to switch shoes with her.”
“If the manager volunteered to do that for the artist, who are we to judge and speculate?”
“There’s no reason to make a big fuss about this. It’s not like Seulgi has had attitude problems in the past.”
She was pushed in the airport yesterday and today she apologize because knets attack her for exchanging her shoes with her manager which her good manager insisted.
— FAM (@seulbearkang02) July 13, 2024
The world dont deserve you Seulgi. You are too kind and gentle for this world pic.twitter.com/fAPPjaLiNs
In response to the online uproar, Seulgi issued an apology on social media. She explained that during rehearsals, she sustained blisters and bruises from her heels, which made walking painful. Seeing her struggle, her manager suggested swapping shoes to ensure Seulgi could perform without further injury.
In her apology, Seulgi wrote, “I apologize to the fans who felt disappointed by my actions at the airport yesterday. During recent rehearsals, I got blisters and bruises from my shoes. The manager suggested I change shoes at the airport since it was evident I was in pain and struggling to walk. In that moment, I couldn’t think of another solution. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this caused and for the situation’s impact on my manager. I have personally apologized to her and will be more mindful in the future to avoid such situations.”
Red Velvet's Seulgi issues an apology for switching shoes with her manager, who offered to help after seeing her struggle with blisters and bruises from her heels. pic.twitter.com/nDMMgYIxeN
— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 13, 2024
Seulgi’s heartfelt apology aims to address the concerns of her fans and the public. She emphasized that the shoe swap was a spontaneous decision made under physical distress, not an intentional act to burden her manager. Additionally, she expressed her commitment to being more careful and considerate in the future.
Despite the controversy, some fans defended Seulgi, pointing out that managers often assist artists in various ways, including ensuring their well-being:
“It’s not that serious, and no one knows what the actual situation was so stop speculating.”
“If my friend had something important going on the next day, and she had to wear uncomfortable shoes, I would switch with her for a little bit to help her out.”
“A manager’s job is literally to take care of the artists. They don’t want her to accidentally hurt her ankle and not be able to perform.”
Meanwhile, Red Velvet recently released their 9th mini album, ‘Cosmic,’ along with the title track of the same name, continuing to captivate fans worldwide with their music and performances. As the group moves forward, Seulgi’s incident serves as a reminder of the challenges celebrities face and the importance of empathy and understanding from the public.
Seulgi is already having a hard time before this cosmic era started and now shes apologizing because of shoes pic.twitter.com/fYgzHvFwVe
— FAM (@seulbearkang02) July 13, 2024
Shivam Kumar
Hi, I'm Shivam Kumar. I'm pursuing Journalism honors from the IP University. I love the skill of writing and looking forward to learn more of it. Also I love traveling and experiencing new things every day....
